How to Make Infused Water
By Laurie Fanelli in Healthy Feeling
Drinking water is an ideal way to wet your whistle. According to the American Heart Association, “For most people, water is the best thing to drink to stay hydrated.” The only downside to water is that it isn’t very exciting when compared to sugary beverages like soda, sports drinks, or fruit juice.
Enter infused water, which is water that has been flavored by fruit or herbs. Infused water is refreshing, delicious, and features a much lower calorie count (and less sugar) than most other flavored drinks. It also includes antioxidants and helps you maintain a healthy weight by cutting out store-bought sugary drinks. And the best part is, you can easily make your favorite varieties right in your own home using your preferred types of water. Here are a few delicious infused water recipes for the next time you want to quench your thirst while simultaneously treating your taste buds.
Berry Blend
This delicious drink combines the bright flavors of strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries to create a light and invigorating flavor. This beverage is at its most potent when left in the refrigerator overnight; it can also be kept at room temperature for two hours for a quicker—but lighter—flavor infusion.
Your extra ingredients are:
- 5 strawberries, sliced in half
- 5 raspberries
- 5 blueberries
Place the strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries into a one-quart container. Top with room temperature water. Let the drink steep at room temperature for at least two hours, or leave it overnight in the fridge.
Citrus Cooler
To me, citrus simply tastes like summertime. The vibrant flavors of orange and lemon found in this water will wake up your taste buds and deter you from stopping in at the drive-thru for a sugar fix. When it comes to using citrus to infuse water, I recommend that you remove the rind when soaking the fruit overnight, as it can get a bit bitter. If you choose to only wait two hours to make this recipe, however, you can leave the rind on for added flavor.
You need for your water:
- 3 slices of orange
- 3 slices of lemon
Slice the orange and lemon and remove the rind, if desired. Place the fruit in a one-quart container, top with room temperature water, and let it steep in the refrigerator overnight.
Wonderful Watermelon Water
Watermelon is made up of mostly water, so it’s the perfect ingredient to convert H2O into a flavorful beverage. Not only can fresh watermelon create a yummy drink, but the left over fruit can also be cut into squares and kept in the freezer for easy-access watermelon ice cubes. This is a great option for when you don’t have the time to wait for water to infuse but you still would like to add flavor on the go.
Your ingredients, besides water, are just:
- 1 cup cubed watermelon
Place the cubed watermelon in a quart container, and let it steep in the fridge overnight. You can also let it steep on the counter at room temperature for two hours for a quicker, subtler flavor.
Herbalicious Infusion
Fresh herbs are full of flavor and antioxidants, and they smell amazing, making them a wonderful ingredient in infused water. This is a great way to use excess herbs from a dinner recipe or utilize herbs from your home garden.
The herbs to grab are:
- 4 mint leaves, torn
- 2 lemon balm leaves, torn
- 1 sprig rosemary
Place the herbs in a one-quart container, and cover with water. Infuse in the refrigerator overnight, and enjoy! If you prefer, you may strain out the leaves before serving or garnish with an extra sprig of rosemary or cluster of mint leaves.
These infused water recipes are just the start. You can customize each example to your own specific tastes and experiment with your favorite fruit flavors. Kids also love infused water, and it can be made the night before to stay hydrated at summer camp or during activities the following day. Hydration has never been more delicious!
What are some of your favorite tips for eliminating sugary drinks from your diet? Let us know with a #GoodMatters tweet @TomsofMaine!
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Why It’s Good
Quench your thirst while treating your taste buds—with no added sugar—by drinking flavorful fruit infused water. It's great on the go, at home, or even on a day trip with the family!